This year you definitely can’t miss the Donglong Temple’s King Welcoming Peace Festival!
Every three years, a grand festival is held in Donggang Town, Pingtung County - the Donglong Temple King Welcoming and Peace Festival. This event is the most representative traditional festival in the area, which not only attracts a large number of local residents but also tourists from all over the country. This year, this unique festival is back again. Let us take a look at this event full of history and cultural heritage and why you absolutely cannot miss it!
Table of contents
2024 King Welcoming Peace Festival Schedule
Origin of the festival
Festival content
2024 King Welcoming Peace Festival Schedule
2024 Jiachen Zhengke Donggang Welcome King Peace Festival
Date: September 28, 2024 (Sat) to October 5, 2024 (Sat)
Date of ceremony
9/28 (Sat) Please water
9/29 (Sunday) North District Procession
9/30 (Monday) Southern District Procession
10/1(Tue) Central District Detour
10/2 (Wednesday) Farmland Procession
10/3 (Thursday) King Boat Ceremony, Respect the King
10/4 (Friday) Royal Boat Ceremony and Boat Procession
10/5 (Sat) Sending off the King (early morning)
2024 Xiaoliuqiu King Welcoming Peace Festival
Date: September 3 (Tuesday) to September 9 (Monday) 2024
Date of ceremony
9/3 (Tuesday) Respectfully Inviting the King
9/4 (Wednesday) Daliaojiao
9/5(Thursday) Rooftop Corner
9/6 (Friday) Shanban Road Corner
9/7 (Sat) Pak Sha Wei Cape
9/8 (Sunday) King’s ship sails around the border
9/9 (Monday) Farewell to the King (early morning)
2024 Jiachen Zhengke Nanzhou Welcome King Peace Festival
Date: November 13, 2024 (Wednesday) to November 18, 2024 (Monday)
Origin of the festival
The Donglong Temple King Welcoming and Peace Festival originated hundreds of years ago in order to pray to the Sea God to protect the fishermen’s safety and drive away plague and disasters. This festival is famous for its unique rituals and grand scale. Activities include "rotation of positions of corner leaders", "building the king's boat", "installation of the Central Army Palace", "presenting a memorial", "setting up the Dai Tian Palace", "inviting water - respectfully inviting the king to arrive", "installation of the king's boat through fire", "procession", "worshiping the king", "moving the boat", "warding off the plague and warding off evil spirits", "feasting the king", and "sending off the king - burning the king's boat". Every ceremony is full of piety and awe, showing the Donggang people's admiration and gratitude to the sea god.
Festival content
On the first day of the King Welcoming Peace Festival, all the major palaces and temples in Donggang Town sent out sedan chair teams, and the lively ceremony of welcoming the gods officially kicked off. The believers hold incense sticks and pray in unison, praying for good weather and a good harvest in the coming year. Afterwards, the statue of the prince was respectfully welcomed to Donglong Palace and placed in the main hall, symbolizing that the sea god officially stayed here to protect the people of Donggang.
The climax of the festival is the procession. Thousands of believers followed the sedan chair through the town. Wherever it went, the sound of fireworks and firecrackers could be heard, creating an extremely lively atmosphere. This procession is not only a way for believers to express their piety, but also a grand social event that allows participants to feel the cohesion and warmth of the community. When night falls, everyone is looking forward to the King Boat Burning Ceremony.
The burning of the king's boat is the most dramatic and symbolic part of the King's Welcoming Peace Festival. The king's boat is a carefully crafted wooden boat with gorgeous decorations, symbolizing the prince's boat. On the last day of the festival, the royal boat will be pushed to the seaside and set on fire, symbolizing the sending away of plague and bad luck and the ushering in peace and prosperity for the new year. The spectacular scene of burning the king's boat is not only a visual enjoyment, but also a spiritual cleansing, allowing people to feel the power and sacredness of traditional culture.
In addition to traditional ceremonies, this year's King Welcoming and Peace Festival also specially arranged a number of cultural activities. You can participate in traditional handicraft workshops and learn how to make temple fair supplies; you can taste authentic Donggang cuisine and experience the unique local flavor; there are also wonderful folk performances, allowing you to fully experience the cultural charm of Donggang. This festival is not only a religious activity, but also a display of cultural heritage and social cohesion. The Donglong Temple King Welcoming Peace Ceremony, which is held every three years, is an experience not to be missed. If you haven't planned your travel for this year, be sure to include this festival in your itinerary. Taking part in it in person and feeling the unique liveliness and sacredness will definitely give you a deeper understanding of Taiwan's folk beliefs and culture. This year, let us go to Donggang together to participate in this grand King Welcoming Peace Ceremony and pray together for peace and happiness in the future!